10 Superstitions About Birds

Whether in or around your house, do birds know something you don't? Grant Faint/Getty Images

If a wild bird somehow manages to enter your home – through a door, window or chimney – you'll suffer a bout of bad luck, and some legends say it foreshadows the death of someone in the home. Keep bad luck and death at bay by keeping birds out in all their forms. That means no bird-patterned wallpaper, crockery or artwork either – as even images of birds can spell doom. In fact, rumor has it that actress Lucille Ball of "I Love Lucy" fame was so fearful of birds in the home that she refused to stay in any hotel with bird-themed wallpaper, pictures or accessories [source: Mikkelson].

This superstition also means you should never bring an injured or sick bird indoors either. Care for it outdoors if you must, but custom says it's dangerous to bring it into your home [source: The Diagram Group]. But even the most vigilant homeowners can't avoid all bird-related bad luck. Blackbirds, who have long been seen as messengers of the dead, can bring death and malice simply by hanging around your home. Other birds, including herons, bitterns and crows, may also bring bad luck or news of death if they decide to circle the skies above your property [source: Webster].